Key Thought: “I long to see very many laborers at work for those who do not know the evidence of our faith.” It is our duty to reach the world with the three angel’s messages in all parts of the world.
December 30, 2023

A. Have a volunteer read Revelation 14:6-12.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What do these verses have to do with our mission and message?
3. Personal Application: Why is the judgment and the Sabbath so important in the gospel given here in Revelation? Do we really need to bring it out so boldly and clearly?” How would you respond to your relative?
4. Case Study: One of you relatives states, “I thought the everlasting gospel was good news. Why do these messages in the second and third angel speak negatively about other churches and the mark of the beast?

B. Have a volunteer read I John 4:8.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why does every group of people matter to God?
3. Personal Application: How do we reach those who wish to destroy Christians? Their religion tells them to kill Christians and have their own form of Bible.? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “How are we supposed to reach people in other countries of different religions? They have their own beliefs and cultures. The gospel may cut across these beliefs. Sometimes they will just add Jesus to their plethora of gods and really not be converted.” How would you respond to your friend?

C, Have a volunteer read 2 Corinthians 11:2, Isaiah 30:21, 1 John 1:8.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What do these texts tell us about the character of those who became followers of Jesus?
3. Personal Application: How can we tell whether it is the spirit of God leading us, or the spirit of demons that go out to deceive the world? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What does it mean to be a chaste virgin to Christ? How can we, as sinners, do this before God and point others to become chaste virgins to Christ as well” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Revelation 21:1-4, 21:22-22:5..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the scene described here?
3. Personal Application: How are you hastening Christ’s return? How are you planting seeds of hope in the hearts of those who need to hear the good news? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Daily Lesson for Sunday 24th of December 2023

The opening lines of Revelation indicate to the reader that this book is focused on God’s mission.

After revealing in the first verses that Jesus is the source and focus of Revelation, Revelation 1:4-5 alludes to all Three Members of the Godhead, who are working unitedly to save human beings. The Father is the eternal one who was and is and is to come. The Holy Spirit, who is working powerfully among the first-century churches, is named. Then John recalls the status of Jesus Christ—the “faithful witness,” “the firstborn of the dead” (Revelation 1:5, NRSV), who possesses legal ownership of this planet. Satan’s attempt to use this earth to establish his kingdom is ruined. In addition to God’s victory over Satan, our Creator’s shed blood washes away our guilt and shame.

The focus of God’s mission is not simply to drag perishing people to safety. God’s salvation offers a new and honorable status, because God’s image is restored in us. The redeemed become royalty (kings) because we are blood-related to the King of the universe through Jesus’ shed blood. Now, as royal family members, we join the mission of the royal family in the salvation of other human beings. This makes us priests! Christ had constituted His church a “kingdom” and its individual members “priests.” To be a member of the kingdom is to be a priest.

In Revelation 1:7, we find the urgency of mission: Jesus is coming, and the nations will mourn because they are lost. God longs after those who are estranged from Him.

The book of Revelation opens, then, with God’s mission for human beings.

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The Mission program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is an opportunity for us to understand the needs of others and share in supporting them. Please click on the image below to watch the Mission Spotlight presentation for this week:

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Daily Lesson for Saturday 23rd of December 2023

Read for This Week’s Study

Revelation 1:1-7, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 14:6-12, Luke 11:23, 1 Timothy 2:4, Revelation 21:1-4.

Memory Text:

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God . . . ?” (2 Peter 3:11-12, NKJV).

The book of Revelation fills the mind with scenes of the end. The epicenter of the book deals with the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan. Satan has lost his legal hold over the earth, and now he pursues those who remain loyal to God. The book climaxes with Jesus’ return to deliver His children, both the living righteous and those faithful ones who have died since the fall of Adam and Eve. The book shows us, too, the destruction of Satan and the wicked by fire, and Jesus’ establishment of His eternal kingdom on the earth made new.

Students of Revelation enthusiastically explore and seek to identify the predicted signs and events that mark church history from the first century ad to our day in the end of time. They are right to do so, too.

However, in this quarter’s final lesson, we will see that Revelation is a missionary book focused on a missionary God who is calling us to be a missionary church. Our calling to proclaim “present truth” to the world will exist right up until everyone has made the choice for or against God.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 30.

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Monday’s section in this week’s lesson asks the question, “What circumstances might you think of where it could be prudent not to be overt about our faith? Or should we never do that? And if not, why not?” This question reminded me about the story about the unclean spirits and why Jesus told them to be quiet when they revealed Him as the Son of God.

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. Mark 3:11-12

Many people, even in our own ranks, accuse Seventh-day Adventists of being dishonest, when we cover up our church sign when holding evangelistic meetings. Often we drape a makeshift sign over the name “Seventh-day Adventist” with the speaker’s name, or the theme of the meetings. Maybe we start the meetings in a neutral meeting hall and announce later, after a few meetings, that we are Seventh-day Adventists. Why be so secretive? I have heard people say, “I am not ashamed to be an Adventist, so why do I need to hide it?”

Well Jesus was not ashamed to be the Son of God, but He still told the demons to be quiet when they announced it to the world. You see, for four thousand years, Satan had been telling humanity all kinds of lies about God and His character. Satan had even worked through un-Godlike priests and teachers to make God look stern, unforgiving and tyrant like. Jesus came with humanity draped over His divinity, to give people a chance to get to know Him first, before He revealed Himself to humanity as the Son of God. Thanks to Satan, there was too much prejudice against Him to just come right and say He was God, from the very beginning. People would have never given Him a chance with all their preconceived ideas about God. With humanity draped over His divinity, like a makeshift sign draped over a church sign, Jesus let the people find out how warm, caring and compassionate He was, and then once He had their confidence, He could let them know He was God.

Satan also told many lies about God’s remnant church. Many think we are a cult, or legalistic, so while being careful not to lie, some evangelists like to reveal that they are Adventists, after being given time to show that the Adventist church is a Bible-based, Christian, compassionate church. It has nothing to do with being ashamed or deceptive. It is the same principle Jesus used when telling the demons not to tell who He was.

Of course as we spend more effort reaching out to unchurched people, we find less prejudice. After all, it was mostly “religious” people who were prejudiced against Jesus. It is often other denominations that are prejudice against Adventists, but not so much the unchurched community. I understand the principles of evangelists, who do not like to announce upfront that they are Adventists. However, if asked directly what denomination I represent, I do not stutter or stammer. I say confidently that I am a Seventh-day Adventist. I then assure them that we are Christian Bible-based believers. I tell them, we believe Jesus is our only hope of salvation and our only example, therefore we go to church on the Bible Sabbath just like Jesus. Just like the woman at the well was receptive, when Jesus revealed Himself to her, I find many unchurched people receptive when I reveal our Bible based and Jesus centered beliefs.

While Jesus told the demons not to announce to the whole world who He was, He used wisdom in deciding when and to whom to reveal Himself. I do not always know who is prejudiced and who is not, so I pray for God to give me wisdom and the right words to say to each individual.

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